Apparatus eob filling casts



APPARATUS Tr MMM/Q T. H. HART.

FOR FILLING CANS, BOTTLES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15. 1914.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Inventor J/WW 6 THOMAS H. HART, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CANS, BOTTLES, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. as, rare.

Application filed May 15, 1914. Serial No. 838,854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. HART, a subject of King George V of England, residing at Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have 1nvented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Cans, Bottles, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for filling cans, bottles and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and durable apparatus which is capable of simultaneously filling a plurality of receptacles such as m1lk bottles, cans or the like with a uniform, predetermined amount of liquid, said apparatus d spensing with the usual valves employed in controlling the flow of liquid into the several receptacles, thus eliminating a large amount of time and labor usually utilized in the cleaning of said valves and expense in maintainingthe same.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangemet of parts whereby the above object and certain other ob ects heremafter appearing may be attained, as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Flgure 1 1s a plan view of an apparatus embodylng my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectlon partly 1n elevation taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, certain parts of the apparatus being broken away to more clearly illustrate the same and to save space in the drawings.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 4: is a tank which may be of any suitable shape, but preferably rectangular and divided by a partitlon 5 1nto two compartments which w1ll hereafter be referred to as a displacing compartment 6 1 and a filling compartment 7. An overflow 8 is arranged preferably in the displacing compartment 6 and is normally adapted to maintain liquid in said compartment at a predetermined level. Means are also provided for supplying liquid to sa1d tank, said means preferably consisting of a liqu d supply pipe 9 which preferably enters sa1d tank through the overflow S, sa1d p1pe having a shutoff valve 10, the force of the liquld which is discharged from the supply pipe, being suflicient to cause said liquid to pass over the top of said overflow pipe 8 and into the compartment 6. The tank 4: is further provided with a plurality of discharge orifices preferably consisting of tubes 11 which are arranged in the .filling compartment of said tank with their receiving ends extending substantially above the normal level of the liquid in said tank, as indicated at 12.

The partition 5 is arranged to extend preferably from the normal level 12 of said liquid to a substantial distance thereabove, thus providing a passage 13 between the compartments 6 and 7 permitting intercommunication of the liquid in said compartments.

The bottom 14 of the displacing compartment 6 is preferably inclined downwardly from the sides of said compartment to a point 15 substantially central relatively to said compartment at which point is provided an outlet 16 having a drip cock 17 whereby all of the liquid in said tank may be removed when desired.

The bottom 18 of the measuring compartment 7 is inclined downwardly toward said compartment 6, thus providing a suitable drainage for that portion of said tank. The tubes 11 extend through the bottom 18 for a substantial distance and are provided at their lower ends with collars 19 of resilient material preferably rubber whose lower edges are recessed at 20 and adapted to receive the mouths of the bottles or cans to be filled, which bottles or cans are forced upwardly tightly against said collars and thereby sealing the opening to prevent any of the liquid which passes through said tubes from escaping.

In the present case I have elected to show twelve discharge tubes which are positioned in such a manner in said measuring recep tacle that their lower ends will aline with a dozen jars arranged in a tray 21 constructed to contain that number of jars. An elevator 22 is preferably provided beneath said tank by means of which said tray may be elevated to move the jars 23 into contact with the collars 19, said elevator being arranged to move along guides 24 which properly position said tray relatively to the tubes 11.

A displacing member 25 is arranged to reciprocate vertically in guides 26 provided preferably upon the opposite sides of the compartment 6. The bottom of said displacing member is made preferably pyramidal in form to substantially correspond with the bottom 14 of the compartment 6, when said displacing member is in its lowermost position, and is formed in this manner to prevent the displacing member from splashing the liquid when said member is lowered into the same, it being apparent that by forcing the small end 27 of said receptacle slowly into said liquid that said liquid will be gradually displaced without producing any perceptible waves or unevenness on the surface of the liquid.

As a convenient means for manipulating the displacing member 25, I have preferably provided a lever 27 pivoted at 28 to the upper portion of the tank 4. One end of said lever is pivotally connected by a link 29 to said displacing member, the other end of said lever being connectedby a link 30 to a treadle 31, said treadle having a weight 32 connected thereto which is of a sufflcient weight to normally retain the displacing member 25 in its uppermost position out of contact with the liquid in the tank 4. By pressing upon the end 33 of said treadle the displacing member will be lowered into said liquid causing the level thereof to rise above the receiving ends or mouths of the tubes 11, whereupon a certain amount of said liquid will be discharged through said tubes to the bottles or jars therebeneath. The amount of liquid which is permitted to discharge through said tubes is governed by the depth to which the displacing member is lowered into the liquid in the displacing chamber, that is to say, if there are one dozen pint jars contained in the tray 21, the displacing member may be slowly lowered into the liquid in the tank 4 until the level of the liquid in the measuring compartment 7 has been raised above the mouths of the tubes 11 sufficient to flll all of said jars. To insure an exact amount of liquid being discharged from said measuring compartment and to vary the extent to which the displacing member will enter said liquid, a collar 34 is adj ustably mounted on the link 30, said collar having a latch 35 adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the notches 36 formed on said link, said collar being arranged to engage a crossbar 37 and thereby limit the downward movement of said displacing member.

There are several of the notches 36 provided as indicated at a b c and d with the collar 34 shown engaging the notch Z2 and when in such a position the'displacing member is permitted to displace sufficient liquid to flll twelve pint jars. Should it be desired to fill twelve quart jars, the latch 35 may be withdrawn from the notch b and the collar moved into a position over the notch cl, this position permitting said displacing member to enter the liquid to a greater extent. Before the displacing member is permitted to enter the liquid contained in the tank 4, it is essential that the overflow pipe 8 and the supply pipe 9 be closed toprevent the escape of said liquid through said overflow rather than through the pipes 11 and also to prevent more liquid being supplied to said tank during the measuring process. To accomplish this result means have been provided which may be rendered operative by the movement of said displacing member to close the overflow 8 and shut off the supply of liquid to said tank. One means for accomplishing this result I have shown consisting of a valve 38 secured to a valve stem 39 which is arranged to slide in a guide 40 provided in the overflow pipe 8 and a bracket 41 secured to the displacing member 25. A collar 42 is adjustably secured to the stem 39 above the bracket 41 and adapted to be engaged by said bracket during the latter portion of the upward movement of said displacing member to lift the valve 38 from its seat 43 in the end of the overflow pipe 8. A spring 44 interposed between a collar 45 at the lower end of the valve stem 39 and the guide 40 is adapted to apply a downward pressure to said valve.

The general operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows: Liquid is admitted to the tank 4 through the pipe 9 under suflicient pressure to carry the same from the end of said pipe over'the top of the overflow pipe'8 until the level indicated at 12 has been reached, all superfluous liquid being carried off by said overflow pipe 8 to the main supply tank, if desired, where it may be again pumped into said tank 4. A crate 21 containing the desired number of jars or bottles to be filled and of the desired sizes is placed upon the elevator 22 and moved upwardly into engagement with the collars 19 upon the lower ends of the discharge tubes 11. The collar 34 is then set at the desired notch which at present is the notch 6 indicating pints. The operator now places his foot upon the end 33 of the treadle 31 to rock said treadle upon its pivot until the collar 34 engages the crossbar 37.

This movement of the treadle and collar permits the displacing member 25 to move downwardly in the guides 26 the predetermined distance'governed by the collar 34. As said displacing member moves down wardly into the liquid, the valve 38 is also permitted to be moved downwardly by the spring 44 and entirely closes the mouth of the overflow pipe 8 before the lowermost end 27 of said displacing member engages the liquid. It will be obvious by this movement of the valve 38 that said overflow pipe will be entirely closed and the supply of liquid shut off or at least deflected into said overflow pipe 8. The displacing member thenproceeds to enter said liquid gradually o owing to the tapering end of said member without causing any particular disturbance or splash of said liquid. As the overflow pipe at this time is closed, no liquid will be permitted to escape therethrough and consequently the level of said liquid will be raised equally in the displacing compartment 6 and the measuring compartment '7, said liquid passing from one to the other through the passage 13 below the partition 5, said partition being provided to prevent waves of liquid, which might be caused by the sudden immersion of the displacing member, from passing into the compartment 7 and thus permit more liquid to pass through one of the discharge tubes than through the others, but with the arrangement described the liquid must pass beneath the surface to the passage 13 and thereby raise the entire body of liquid in the compartment 7 evenly.

As soon as the liquid reaches the upper or receiving ends of the tubes 11, said liquid begins to flow therethrough into the ars 23 located beneath said tubes, and this con tinues until all of the liquid in said tank above the level of said tubes has passed into the jars. The treadle 31 is then released permitting the weight 32 to move said displacing member to its uppermost position during which movement the valve 38 is removed from the end of the overflow pipe 8, whereupon the liquid from the pipe 9 will enter said tank to bring the level of the liquid therein to the top of said overflow pipe in readiness to fill another tray of jars.

l/Vhile I have herein shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed and discussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to one specific application thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts, nor to its specific application herein shown, but that extensive deviations may be made without departing fromthe principles thereof.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is: i

1. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a tank, means adapted to ,supply liquid to said tank, an overflow normally adapted to maintain the liquid in said tank at a predetermined level, a discharge tube arranged in said tank with its receiving end above the normal level of said liquid, means adapted to shut off the supply of liquid to said tank and close said overflow, and a liquid displacing member adapted to be moved into the liquid in said tank a predetermined distance whereby a predetermined amount of said liquid may be permitted to escape through said dis charge tube.

2. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a tank, means adapted to supply liquid to said tank, an over flow normally adapted to maintain the liquid in said tank at a predetermined level, a discharge pipe arranged in said tank with the receiving end thereof substantially above the normal level of said liquid, means for shutting oil the supply of liquid to said tank and for closing said overflow, a dis placing member adapted to be moved into said liquid to raise the level thereof above the receiving end of said discharge tube, and means adapted to vary the extent to which said displacing member enters said liquid whereby a predetermined amount of said liquid may be permitted to escape through said discharge tube.

3. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a tank, means adapted to supply liquid to said tank, an overflow normally adapted to maintain the liquid in said tank at a predetermined level, a discharge tube arranged in said tank with the receiving end thereof above the normal level of said liquid, means adapted to shut off the supply of liquid to said tank, means to close said overflow, a displacing member, and means adapted to move said displacing member into said liquid to raise the level of said liquid a predetermined distance above the receiving end of said discharge tube.

4. An apparatus of the class described having in combination, a tank provided with a discharge orifice, means adapted to supply liquid to said tank, an overflow arranged in said tank with its receiving end substantially below the mouth of said discharge orifice, said overflow adapted to normally maintain the liquid in said tank at a predetermined level, a displacing member, means to move said displacing member into the liquid in said tank, and means actuated by the movements of said displacing member toward said liquid adapted to close said liquid supply and said overflow.

5. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a tank, a liquid supply pipe, an overflow pipe adapted to maintain the liquid in said tank at a predetermined level, a plurality of discharge tubes arranged in. said tank with their receiving ends extending above said normal liquid level, a displacing member, means adapted to move said displacing member into said tank a predetermined distance to raise the level of said liquid, and a valve operatively connected with said displacing member adapted to be moved thereby to close said overflow and cut off the supply of liquid to said tank.

6. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a tank, an overflow pipe, a liquid supply pipe entering said tank hrough said overflow pipe, a discharge tube a displacing member adapted to be my hand in presence of two subscribing Witmoved into said tank to raise the level of nesses. said liquid, a valve connected with said displacing member and movable therewith 5 adapted to close said overflow and out OK Witnesses:

THOMAS H. HART.

the supply of liquid to said tank. CHARLES S. GOODING,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set SYDNEY E. TAFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

